No Doubt About It
Published 3:56 am Thursday, February 25, 2010
CHESAPEAKE — The Chesapeake Panthers left no doubt they were the Ohio Valley Conference champions for a second straight season.
The Panthers beat the River Valley Raiders 49-37 Wednesday to complete the league title run at 10-0.
“Its nice to do that. It’s nice to win it last year and go 10-0 this year,” said Panthers’ coach Ryan Davis.
“Obviously, you want to win the conference, but our focus now is on how well we are at tournament time.”
Davis said the Panthers have gone 14-4 overall against a solid schedule that was made to get his team tournament ready.
“We put together a schedule to give us our best chance against different styles. We played a bunch of different type of teams. We played big teams, quick teams, teams that play up-tempo and teams that slow it down. Hopefully, we’re as ready we can be,” said Davis.
Chesapeake plays South Point at 8 p.m. Saturday at Jackson High School in the Division III sectional finals.
The Panthers five seniors — Gunner Hill, Seth Ransbottom, Colton Lindsey, Peter Hintz and Trent Saunders — all started and played the first quarter and it was 8-8.
Cody Smith scored 6 of the Raiders’ first quarter points.
“We didn’t shoot the ball well tonight, but River Valley has improved,” said Davis.
Saunders and Lindsey combined for 11 points in the second quarter as the Panthers took a 26-21 lead at the half. Cody McAvena scored 6 points in the quarter for the Raiders.
Austin McMaster had the hot hand in the third quarter as he scored 7 points and the Panthers extended their lead to 40-32.
Chesapeake’s defense held River Valley to just 5 points in the fourth quarter.
Saunders — who was 6-of-10 from the field — finished with 14 points and 15 rebounds in his final home game.
McMaster scored 13 while Nathan Copley had 11 points, six rebounds and six assists. Hintz had six steals.
McAvena got 11 points for River Valley (4-15, 2-7). The Raiders play at Fairland on Tuesday.
River Valley 8 13 11 5 = 37
Chesapeake 8 18 14 9 = 49
RIVER VALLY (4-15, 2-7): Trey Noble 1 0 0-0 2, Cody McAvena 2 2 1-1 11, Parker Hollingsworth 1 0 0-0 2, Aaron Harrison 2 0 0-0 4, Dominique Peck 3 0 1-3 7, Cody Smith 3 0 2-2 8, Kyle Bryant 0 0 0-0 0, Austin Lewis 1 0 1-2 3. Totals: 13 2 5-8 37. Fouls: 9. Fouled out: None.
CHESAPEAKE (14-4, 10-0): Gunner Hill 0 0 0-0 0, Peter Hintz 1 0 1-2 3, Nathan Copley 2 2 1-2 11, Patrick Hintz 0 0 0-0 0, Mikey Walters 0 0 0-0 0, Caleb Lindsey 0 0 0-0 0, Colton Lindsey 1 1 1-2 6, Brandon Noble 0 0 0-0 0, Javon Thompson 0 0 0-0 0, Austin McMaster 4 1 2-2 13, Trent Saunders 6 0 2-2 14, Seth Ransbottom 0 0 0-0 0, Colin Kennedy 1 0 0-0 2. Totals: 19-59 7-10 49. 3-point goals: 4. Fouls: 12. Fouled out: None.